Wire rope

ABSTRACT

1,136,805. Wire ropes. UNITED STATES STEEL CORP. 12 April, 1966 [30 April, 1965], No. 16017/66. Heading D1T. The wire rope has an independent wire rope core (2), Fig. 2 (not shown) and a plurality of strands (6) surrounding the core, one strand (6) being received in each of the valleys (4) of the core (2), the lay of the outer wires in each strand (6) being a maximum of six times the diameter of the strand (6). The lay is preferably between four and six times the diameter of the strand (6). The lay of the strands (6) is preferably between six and eight times the diameter of the rope, and the wires of the strands (6) are preferably laid in the same direction as the strands of the rope.

b- 1967 R. w. STEVENS 3,306,022

WIRE ROPE I Filed April :50, 1965 4. 4 //v l/E/l/TOR ROGER w STEVENS Attorney United States Patent Ofiice 3,306,022 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3,306,022 WIRE ROPE Roger W. Stevens, Woodhury, Conn, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 452,174 6 (Ilairns. (Cl. 57--148) This invention relates to a wire rope and is particularly directed to a Lang Lay steel rope having an independent wire rope core. This type of rope is often used as boom hoist ropes on small cranes or on wagon scrapers Where the drum winding is relatively poor and the diameter of the drums relatively small and also as drag ropes on drag line machines. In such service the wires in the Lang Lay rope are exposed for a considerable distance on the surface of the rope and the wires are readily scrubbed out of position. I have found that this defect can be overcome by reducing the length of lay of the outer wires in the strands over that commonly used. However, this also reduces the strength of the rope somewhat and I have found it necessary to provide other changes in the construction of the rope in order to increase its strength. I have also found that I can increase the resistance to rupture under shock loads and obtain other advantages by the changes in rope structure.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a scrub resistance Lang Lay rope having strength substantially equal to that of the normal Lang Lay rope.

Another object is to provide a rope having increased resistance against rupture under shock load and improved wear resistance.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal view of a wire rope of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the rope of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a view, similar to FIGURE 2, showinganother embodiment of my invention.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates an independent wire rope core which is shown as having a 7 x 7 construction with six valleys 4 between the outer strands of the core. Six strands 6 surround the independent Wire rope core 2 with one strand being received in each of the valleys 4. The lay of the strands around the independent wire rope core must match the lay of the outer strands in the independent wire rope core. The wires in the strands are laid in the same direction as the strands in the rope, this being the standard Lang Lay construction. The rope shown is the well known 6 x 19 Scale construction, so that each strand has 19 wires.

According to my invention the strands 6 are manufactured in the usual manner except that the lay of the outer wires in each strand 6 is a maximum of six times the diameter of the strand whereas in the conventional construction the lay is commonly between 7 and 10 times the diameter of the strand. In the particular rope shown the lay is 5.2 times the diameter of the strand and I prefer that the lay be between 4 and 6 times the diameter of the strand. The strands 6 are then laid around the independent wire rope core 2 in the valleys 4 thereof with the lay of the strands around the core matching the lay of the strands in the core. This construction may be obtained by closing the outer strands of the independent wire rope core and the main strands of the rope around the center member simultaneously. Another method of obtaining this construction is shown in the co-pending application of Vennett Serial No. 384,878, filed July 24, 1964. Conventional ropes of this general type are normally manufactured with the rope lay being between approximately 6 and 8 times the diameter of the rope and it is preferred to use this length of lay in the ropes of my invention.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 3, the independent wire rope core 2 has the same construction as that of FIGURE 2. Six outer strands 10 are laid in the valleys 4. Except for the difference between strands 6 and 10, the rope of FIGURE 3 has the same construction and is made in the same manner as the rope of FIGURE 2.

While my invention has maximum utility and advantages in Lang Lay ropes and in Alternate Lay ropes in which the strands are alternately Lang Lay and Regular Lay, certain advantages are obtained in ropes of Regular Lay constructed otherwise the same as described above. It will be seen that FIGURES 2 and 3 indicate the construction of Alternate Lay and Regular Lay ropes as well as Lang Lay ropes.

While several embodiments of my invention have been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A wire rope comprising an independent wire rope core including outer strands with valleys therebetween, and a plurality of strands surrounding said core with one strand being received in each of the valleys of the independent wire rope core, each of said plurality of strands including outer wires, the lay of the plurality of strands around the independent wire rope core matching the lay of the outer strands in the independent wire rope core, the lay of the outer wires in each of the plurality of strands being a maximum of approximately six times the diameter of the strand.

2. A wire rope according to claim 1 in which the lay of the plurality of strands around the core is between approximately six and eight times the diameter of the rope.

3. A wire rope according to claim 1 in which the wires in said plurality of strands are laid inthe same direction as the strands in the rope.

4. A wire rope according to claim 3 in which the lay of the plurality of strands around the core is between approximately six and eight times the diameter of the rope.

5. A wire rope according to claim 3 in which the lay of the outer wires in each of the plurality of strands is between approximately four and six time the diameter of the strand.

6. A wire rope according to claim 5 which the lay of the plurality of strands around the core is between approximately six and eight times the diameter of the rope.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1951 Riddle 57l48 1/1962 Dietz 57148 

1. A WIRE ROPE COMPRISING AN INDEPENDENT WIRE ROPE CORE INCLUDING OUTER STRANDS WITH VALLEYS THEREBETWEEN, AND A PLURALITY OF STRANDS SURROUNDING SAID CORE WITH ONE STRAND BEING RECEIVED IN EACH OF THE VALLEYS OF THE INDEPENDENT WIRE ROPE CORE, EACH OF SAID PLURALITY OF STRANDS INCLUDING OUTER WIRES, THE LAY OF THE PLURALITY OF STRANDS AROUND THE INDEPENDENT WIRE ROPE CORE MATCHING THE LAY OF THE OUTER STRANDS IN THE INDEPENDENT WIRE ROPE CORE, THE LAY OF THE OUTER WIRES IN EACH OF THE PLURALITY OF STRANDS BEING A MAXIMUM OF APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES THE DIAMETER OF THE STRAND. 